Town guide · Monmouth County
Living in Colts Neck, NJ
Colts Neck is the most rural feeling township in central Monmouth County. Horse farms, preserved farmland and homes on lots of two acres or more set the tone, and there is no public water or sewer anywhere in town.
- County
- Monmouth
- Population
- About 10,000 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 32 square miles
- Setting
- Rural and country estate, with horse farms and preserved farmland
- Main roads
- Route 18, Route 34, County Road 537 and County Road 520 along the northern border
Neighborhoods
Old crossroads and open country
Colts Neck was founded as Atlantic Township in 1847 and took the name Colts Neck by referendum in 1962. It has no single downtown. Instead it is a spread of farms, wooded lots and residential streets, with old place names that still show up on maps and road signs. Every part of town shares the 07722 ZIP code.
- Bucks Mill: Named for a gristmill built on Yellow Brook in 1854. The old watermill still stands on Bucks Mill Road, beside a township recreation area.
- Phalanx: Named for the North American Phalanx, a utopian farming community that operated here from 1843 to 1856.
- Scobeyville, Montrose and Vanderburg: Other unincorporated communities whose names remain on the map within the township.
- Hominy Hill, Cooks Mills, Lippincott and Swimming River: More named localities within the township, including the area around the county golf course and the land near the Swimming River Reservoir.
Homes
What you will find
- Homes on large lots: Township zoning requires minimum lot sizes of 2, 5 or 10 acres for most homes, so properties here are spread out and private.
- Horse farms and equestrian properties: Horse breeding in Colts Neck goes back to the 1700s, and many working farms remain, along with homes that have barns, paddocks and riding rings.
- Preserved farmland: The township's Farmland Preservation Committee has protected nearly 1,000 acres, which keeps much of the open country open.
Worth knowing: Colts Neck has no public water or sewer service, so homes rely on private wells and septic systems. A well water test and a septic inspection belong in every purchase, and sellers do well to have recent results ready. On farm and equestrian properties, we also look closely at zoning, any preservation easements and what the land can and cannot be used for.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Colts Neck
- 1.489%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $17,5892025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $1,200,000 on today's market would pay roughly $17,868 a year at Colts Neck's 2025 effective rate. Your actual bill depends on your assessment, so we pull the real tax record for any home you are considering.
Source: New Jersey Division of Taxation, 2025 general and effective tax rates. Rates are set each year.
Groceries, dining and shopping
Where Colts Neck shops and eats
Colts Neck has no downtown and no supermarket. There is a large farm market on Route 34, but for a full grocery run most people drive to the neighboring towns.
Grocery stores
- NortheastAcme616 Newman Springs Road, Middletown (Lincroft)Directions
- EastShopRite1151 Shrewsbury Avenue, ShrewsburyDirections
- WestStop & Shop160 Village Center Drive, Freehold TownshipDirections
- NorthwestWhole Foods Market113 Route 9, MarlboroDirections
Checked October 2026. Stores open, close and move, so call ahead before a first trip.
Restaurants
There are only a few restaurants in Colts Neck, spread out along Route 34 and County Road 537. For a night out, most people drive to a nearby downtown:
- Downtown Freehold: West on County Road 537 to Main Street, a downtown known for its restaurants and nightlife.
- Downtown Red Bank: Northeast, Broad Street and the blocks around it, a historic downtown with everything from casual places to fine dining, and part of Broad Street closes each year for outdoor dining.
Shopping
Most shopping is along Route 9 in Freehold Township and Marlboro, where the Freehold Raceway Mall sits west on County Road 537, or along Route 35 in Eatontown and Shrewsbury to the east.
Getting around
Roads and commuting
Route 18 runs through the township as a freeway, with interchanges at Route 34 and at County Road 537, and continues north through Marlboro toward the New Jersey Turnpike. Route 34 crosses the town north to south, and County Road 537 runs east toward Tinton Falls and west toward Freehold. There are no Garden State Parkway exits in Colts Neck; the nearest are in neighboring Holmdel, Middletown, Tinton Falls and Wall. There is no train station in town. The closest North Jersey Coast Line stations are in nearby Red Bank and Middletown. A large share of the township's land belongs to Naval Weapons Station Earle, whose main base is entered off Route 34.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Dorbrook Recreation Area: A 540 acre county park on Route 537 with a 2.3 mile paved trail, tennis and pickleball, athletic fields and a barrier free playground.
- Hominy Hill Golf Course: A Monmouth County public golf course on Mercer Road, a classic Robert Trent Jones design that has hosted two USGA national championships.
- Bucks Mill Recreation Area: A township park beside the surviving 1854 watermill on Bucks Mill Road.
- Swimming River Reservoir: A drinking water reservoir built in 1901 on the township's northern edge, shared with Holmdel and Middletown and managed by New Jersey American Water.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Colts Neck
What are property taxes in Colts Neck, NJ?
Colts Neck Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.489 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $17,589, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Does Colts Neck have public water and sewer?
No. Colts Neck has no public water or sewer service, so homes use private wells and septic systems. Buyers should plan on a well test and a septic inspection as part of any purchase.
What is the minimum lot size in Colts Neck?
Township zoning sets minimum lot sizes of 2, 5 and 10 acres for most residential land, depending on the zone. That is why Colts Neck feels so open compared with its neighbors. Always confirm the zoning for a specific property with the township.
Is Naval Weapons Station Earle in Colts Neck?
Yes. The main base of Naval Weapons Station Earle covers about 10,000 acres, mostly in Colts Neck, with its entrance off Route 34. The base's waterfront and long pier are separate, on Sandy Hook Bay in the Leonardo section of Middletown.
How do you get to New York from Colts Neck?
There is no train station in Colts Neck. Most commuters drive to a North Jersey Coast Line station in a nearby town such as Red Bank or Middletown, or to a Garden State Parkway interchange in a neighboring township. Route 18 also connects north toward the New Jersey Turnpike.
Where is the closest grocery store to Colts Neck?
There is no supermarket in Colts Neck itself. The closest are an Acme on Newman Springs Road in the Lincroft section of Middletown and a ShopRite on Shrewsbury Avenue in Shrewsbury. To the west, there is a Stop & Shop in Freehold Township and a Whole Foods Market on Route 9 in Marlboro.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Colts Neck
Buying or selling in Colts Neck?
Land, wells and acreage take local knowledge
Colts Neck homes come with land, wells, septic systems and sometimes barns, and each one needs to be priced on its own terms. We will walk the property with you and tell you honestly what it is worth and what your options are.
Call or text either of us directly.